The device of this invention is adapted to permit adjusting the length of a chain quickly and easily. The device is intended primarily for use in a system to tie down a vehicle on a transport such as a rail car, but is not limited to that use. Some vehicles have high frames and require long chains to tie them down. The smaller compact cars can be tied down with shorter chains. One of the objects of this invention therefore is to provide a device which may be used to shorten the length of a chain when desired.
The adjusting device of this invention comprises a yoke or shackle for receiving a length of chain, and a keeper for locking the chain to the shackle in adjusted position. The space or slot between the arms of the yoke has a narrow section for retaining the chain against lengthwise adjustment and a wide section in which the chain is capable of moving in the direction of its length. The keeper when disposed between the arms of the yoke retains the chain in the narrow portion of the space and thus locks it against movement. The chain can be adjusted as to length by pivoting the keeper out of the space between the arms.
A further object of the invention is to provide an adjusting device in which the keeper will normally retain a set position of rotation so that the chain will not accidentally be released. For this purpose, means are provided for resisting relative rotation between the keeper and the shackle.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a yieldable connection between the shackle and keeper permitting the device to be extended or stretched slightly so as to take up shock loads on the chain and thus prevent the chain from imposing unduly high stresses on the frame of the vehicle which is tied down.